This introductory course: establishes the foundational concepts of human-environment interactions; evaluates the environmental, economic, and social dimensions interplay of modern communities; examines how our resource needs impact natural ecosystems; investigates the “Three Pillars” of sustainability and shows that sustainable development encompasses the interplay of all three; explores the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs); determines their relative success and determines what SDGs may be realistically achievable in the short term and which maybe take longer.

This course: examines Jeffrey Sachs’ ‘The ‘Seven Ages of Globalization’ and the main breakthroughs in energy, information, agriculture, industry and transport; examines today’s main economic metrics – economic growth, inflation, unemployment, consumer spendings and business investment to understand their challenges to society and the natural environment; examines the role of government and where world economies maybe by 2050; examines the rise of China and India as the next global economic leaders; and looks at green economies and clean tech highlighting the importance of continuing education and retraining in the face of new technologies like artificial intelligence.

This course explores: the social injustices of education, gender & wealth inequality, racism, religious differences, corruption, food scarcity and poverty; looks at gender and state violence and the effect of today’s wars on the public such as homelessness, the refugee crises and migration; the state of cybercrime and the digital divide; and concludes by looking at community and social change – identifying mechanisms to drive institutional and structural policy reforms, highlighting advocacy campaigns, community activism, and sustainable education.

This course examines:  the various sources of pollution (air, water, soil, noise, light, and plastic); biodiversity loss, deforestation, and resource depletion;  practical actions and ethical frameworks needed to conserve ecosystems while meeting societal resource needs; bridging the gap between ecological protection, socio-economic factors, and long-term community resilience; and the need to focus on core concepts of resource management, environmental planning and sustainability.

This course explores: the fundamental science behind anthropogenic global warming and traces the socio-economic impacts of climate hazards; examines how societies assess and manage natural resources in the face of ecological degradation; covers the ethical, cultural, and scientific aspects of the climate challenge, empowering students to design local, community-based climate action plans. Further, it explores the role of cities as major hubs of both carbon emissions and looks at practical strategies for municipal climate mitigation, including sustainable transportation networks, green infrastructure, and community-level climate resilience.

This course examines: the training of students to address systemic inequality and environmental degradation through participatory, anti-oppressive frameworks emphasizing grassroots and community-led models; introduces the foundational principles of Asset-Based Community Development (ABCD) and social inclusion; and examines how to identify local capacities, build cross-cultural relationships, and facilitate community-led initiatives that reduce poverty while managing the expectations of financial donors and institutional stakeholders. 

This course explores: the integration of Project Management (PM) with Sustainable Development expanded beyond the traditional “iron triangle” of scope, time, and cost; the principles of planning, organizing, leading and controlling sustainable development projects with focus of youth involvement; how to place focus on long-term value, ethical execution, and the triple bottom line of People, Planet, and Profit; how to balance environmental, social, and economic factors across the entire project lifecycle from initiation to closure.